The most common light switch in a home, residence and even commercial buildings, is the toggle switch. The switch is manually turned on by human hand and then has to be turned off, manually, by hand. Similarly is the “rocker” and “push” switch. These are the most common because of their simplicity. You do not have to look at the switch or even think. It is so simple.
The problem is the switch depends on a human to turn it off. I need a switch that will turn itself off. For example, I have a home for sale that i do not occupy.
I only go by and check the home every three days to weekly. A Realtor entering the home and showing it to a client will turn on lights throughout the house.
When they leave, lights are left on. Particularly outside flood lights. When people flip switches to turn on lights during the day, they don't realize the outside flood lights have been turned on. And if you leave the house during the daylight, you would never know they are on. Other problem lights would be closets, bedrooms, stairs, garage & attics. Attic lights can be left on for months without notice. Now after three days to a week of these lights, especially two to twelve 100 watt flood lights, left on, I have a huge power bill. It is also a needless waste of precious power. Outside lights left on all night can also be very annoying to others in a neighborhood. Persons living next door or in front and behind, where flood lights might be directed. The problem—since people are forgetfully, including myself, and cannot be depended upon to turn lights off, I need a switch that turns itself off. And most important, “Keep It Simple”.
The switch also needs to be somewhat tamper proof. The time set would be set by homeowner and others could not, easily, change. You would have to remove the cover plate in order to adjust the time.
Examples would be a stair switch set for one minute “on” before auto cutoff. Closet light five minutes. Garage light, thirty minutes. Attic light, one hour. Outside flood lights, four hours. Etc.
Some examples of items/inventions that are similar but different.
1) Mini Lamp/Appliance Timer. Is a manual dial timer. Difference—You have to look at it to set time. Which also takes extra time to turn on. Does not conform to standard 2×4 roughin box.
2) The closest product I could find is the Intermatic Digital Wall Switch Timer. Difference—It is a push button instead of “toggle or rocker” switch. It has a digital viewing window. It is complicated to set up. You have to read and comprehend four pages of instructions. It also requires a back up battery. Anyone can easily tamper with it & reset times.
Different from the Intermatic products, the proposed invention is “Toggle” or “Rocker” switch. The most common & easiest to use.
Has simple, manual screwdriver time set.
A person cannot, “tamper”, reset the switch times unless they take the cover off the switch with a screwdriver which requires more effort than is worth the trouble to most persons.
Requires no battery's
So simple, needs no instructions.
3) Intermatic Countdown Timer—Difference—It is not “toggle” switch. Have to look at it and think each time it is turned on. Choosing the time setting each time.
.Other inventions do not have the ease and simplicity of use.
1) These other switches take extra time & brain power (look & think) to operate. It needs to be a simple operation to activate with out even thinking. A switch a child or Cave Man can operate.
People enjoy the simplicity of the toggle, and like kind, switch. You do not have to look at it to turn it on. It takes a quick, single motion of hand/finger to operate. You don't even have think about it. The toggle is a easier hand motion than locating a push button and pushing it in.
2) They do not have a set time for cutoff. You set the time you want each time it is turned on. And/Or the time needs to be preset by owner and made so it is not easily changed. Tamper proof.
3) Needs to conform, fit inside, to the standard 2×4 roughin box. Not all other timers fit.
4) People want “out of the box” simple to use. They do not want to have to read instructions.
It would be advantageous to provide a light switch, being the same standard, simple, toggle design, would turn itself off at the owners pre set time duration since people are forgetful about turning lights off.
It would also be advantageous to provide a timer switch that only the owner could preset and control the time durations.
It would further be advantageous to provide a light switch that saved money on utility bills and overall power consumption.
Also advantageous to have same light switch so simple it required no instructions. Use right out of the box just as existing, non timed, switches
And such switch would have optional low voltage on/off control from outside source or remote panel